This document was developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.

The purpose of this Safety and Health Information Bulletin is:

1. To describe the hazard of sharp-tip suture
   needles as a source of percutaneous injuries to
   surgical personnel;
   
   
2. To present evidence of the effectiveness of
   blunt-tip suture needles in decreasing
   percutaneous injuries to surgical personnel,
   particularly when used to suture muscle and
   fascia; and
   
   
3. To emphasize OSHA’s requirement to use safer
   medical devices – in this case, blunt-tip suture
   needles – where clinically appropriate.

Entire Document	2007-132.pdf (150KB; 4pgs)
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